'Being attacked by animals doesn't really do it for me': British backpacker, 24, who dared teenager, 18, to jump into crocodile infested river before he was nearly killed by a monster reptile REJECTS his plea for a date

Lee De Pauuw, 18, was bitten by a huge crocodile in a river in north Queensland

He almost had his arm ripped off after jumping into infested waters on Sunday

British backpacker Sophie Paterson said she dared him to jump into the creek

They were reunited on radio - but Miss Paterson turned down his offer of a drink

Some men will go to extreme lengths to impress the woman of their dreams.

Just ask 18-year-old Lee De Paauw, who almost had his armed ripped off by a monster four-metre long crocodile after jumping into infested waters in an attempt to win over glamorous British backpacker Sophie Paterson.

The foolhardy teenager was lucky to get away with his life, punching the huge reptile in the face after it sunk its jaws into his arm and tried to drown him in a 'death roll'.

Despite his heroics, Miss Paterson was not impressed, telling her admirer: 'Being attacked by animals doesn’t really do it for me.'

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British backpacker Sophie Paterson (left and right), 24, dared a teenager to jump into crocodile-infested waters

Lee De Paauw, 18, punched a crocodile after he was dared to jump into the river on Sunday

Tourist Sophie Paterson, 24, was having drinks with Mr De Paauw in the early hours of Sunday morning when she dared him to jump into the Johnstone River in the far north of Queensland.

The teenager, who lives nearby, foolishly went for it - only to be attacked by a huge saltwater crocodile that was lurking in the creek.

Speaking to the Fitzy & Wippa radio show from his hospital bed, Mr De Paauw explained why he leaped into the water.

'Being dared, I jumped off the jetty and I was swimming back around to the stairs to get out.

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'I was about to pull myself back up when the croc grabbed my arm and dragged me back out and started rolling me.

'I hit it in the nose and it loosened its grip. I got another hit in and it was right in its eye. It dropped me then.'

A surprisingly chipper Mr De Paauw added that it would all be worth it if Miss Paterson came on a date with him.

'Hopefully that girl buys me a drink,' he said, adding that he had her number.

Luckily for the plucky teenager, Miss Paterson was also on the show.

But that was where Mr De Paauw's fortune ended, with his backpacker crush saying she was not impressed by his antics - adding that there was no chemistry between them.

'He's too young for me,' she said.

'Being attacked by animals doesn’t really do it for me.'

Miss Paterson and Mr De Paauw shared a short conversation on air, but it was a little awkward.

The radio hosts suggested the British tourist pay the teenager a visit in hospital, but she did not seem up for it.

The teenager leaped into the Johnstone River (file picture) but almost immediately started 'splashing and screaming'

Miss Paterson had earlier told the Courier Mail that Mr De Paauw had boasted of how he could swim in the water over drinks at a nearby hostel.

'He was talking about the local creek saying "I can swim out" and so we said, "go on then", but we didn't think he would do it,' she said.

'He sort of made this claim "I'll swim out and back". At first we just said "don't be so ridiculous" and didn't think he was going to go through with it.

The teenager leaped into the water but almost immediately started "splashing and screaming".

Miss Paterson, from Yeovil, Somerset, watched in horror as the teenager wrestled himself free from the crocodile and hauled himself out of the water, covered in blood.

'There was blood everywhere and he just wouldn't stop screaming. I thought he had lost his arm because of how bad it looked,' she said.

Mr De Paauw was rushed to hospital, where doctors were able to save his arm.

Brenton Gangemi, owner of local wildlife cruises Snapping Tours, said he believed the culprit croc was a three-and-a-half to four metre male saltwater crocodile (file picture)

Paramedic Neil Noble said it was fortunate Mr de Paauw was able to escape the reptile's grip before he drowned in a 'death roll'.

'Reports from the scene are he was dared to jump into the water, which he did and unfortunately that area is well known for its crocodile population,' Mr Noble said.

'We're just very grateful that he's survived this incident because it could have turned out to be quite fatal.'

Brenton Gangemi, owner of local wildlife cruises Snapping Tours, said he believed the culprit croc was a three-and-a-half to four metre male saltwater crocodile that had been frequenting the area recently.

Mr Gangemi said the man could also have been attacked by a bull shark as they were common in the river.

Saltwater crocodiles are one of Australia's most dangerous land animals and have been responsible for eight confirmed fatal attacks in Queensland since 1985.

In May 2016 New Zealand-born photographer Cindy Waldron died after she was dragged under water by a 4.3m saltwater crocodile while walking with a friend at Thornton Beach, north of Cairns.